Death Comes with Yesterday's Tommorow
by Talking is NOT communication
Summary: three mutants travel back in time to try and save the future, but they need the x - men's help. rated for language, violence, intimacy Gay and Straight and Rape, mainly OC/OC, a few classic pairings perhaps
1. Slaughterhouse

Alright my first X-men fic, I don't know how its going to turn out, so, here go

I own the characters 'Arkana', 'Tyler' and 'Musika', but none of the other x men or any marvel character who may, or may not, appear/ be mentioned In the process of this fic. I do own Anarchy, Kiyo and Odora, and the location referred to as new heart island.

"Come on! The portal's open, hurry up!"

"Cougar! Cougar, where the hell are you?"

"Hey, don't be worrying about m… …"

AHNIALATE ALL MUTANTS!! SECTOR 9ALPHA6 SHALL BE PURGED

"COUGAR!!"

"Damn it, we've got to keep going!"

"They got Cougar!"

"We can't help him, I'm sorry!"

MUTANT PRESENCE DETECTED! PURGE!

"FUCK!"

"THEY GOT DIANNE!!"

"RICKY'S DOWN, REPEAT, THEY NAILED RICKY!!"

"THEY'VE FOUND U…"

"THERE'S NO STOPPING THEM!!"

"MICHAEL?? MICHAEL WHERE ARE … SHIT!!"

"OH MY GOD, THEY'RE HE…"

"JASON?? FUCK! JASON'S DOWN!!"

"ALL OF YOU, MOVE, GET TO THE PORTAL, NOW!!"

"HELL NO! NOT WITHOUT YOU!!"

"WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO ARGUE, JUST GO!!"

"THIS IS FUCKING SUICIDE!! THEY'RE SLAUGHTERING US OUT HERE!!"

"I know, but the mission comes first. Go, and take care of my sister for me."

"But …"

MUTANT DETECTED, INITIATE TERMINATION ORDER 6601

"GO! GO NOW!!"

The last figure sprinted for the glowing temporal portal, as a bright, piercing light illuminated his presence. He leapt through the portal, as it exploded shut behind him…

XAVIER'S SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED AKA THE X – MANSION

2 AM

Three figures, two male, one female, all dressed in black leather uniforms, appeared out of nowhere in a spectacular flash of light, their unconscious forms collapsing onto the lawn. Having being designated the night watch, Logan and Remy, AKA the x-men Wolverine and Gambit, were first on the case, with the ever – active Hank McCoy, the X - man 'Beast', arriving to help them carry the unconscious figures, all in their mid to late teens, through the mansion to the med bay in the subbasement.


	2. Awakening

2.

The X-Mansion; Sub-Basement med bay.

Tyler's blind eyes snapped open. He sat up sharply, blankets falling away from his bare chest. He rubbed his head vigorously, trying to remember what had happened through his throbbing headache. Quietly, he slipped of the metal bed, his bare feet touching down on cold plate steel. Vivid blue erupted through his mind, at the back of his eyes, as the very micro-seismic oscillations that hold matter together painted an electric blue map of his surroundings in all three dimensions. On other beds across the room, two more figures lay, one male the other female. The identical scar like tattoos on their arms marked them out as members of he resistance. _His_ resistance. They too, were in their underwear.

Then he noticed something he hadn't before. A series of long, narrow gashes, perfectly parallel to one another, across the male figure's right arm. They were wrapped in a crude, white bandage. The figure's hair was long and wild, and a black tattoo, shaped like the treble cleft, was printed on his right shoulder blade.

'Musika self harms?' he asked himself, incredulously. 'Why?'

A third figure sat slumped on a chair by the door, like a guard. She was fast asleep, her sunglasses on the floor by her feet, where they had slipped off, her heavy, flowing coat slowly sliding off her shoulders.

Jubilee woke with a start, a strange pressure on her neck. She found herself looking up into the blind eyes of one of the teens Gambit and Wolverine had pulled off the front lawn. His hand was placed firmly around her throat.

"Don't move!" he hissed quietly. "Move and I break your neck. Now, you're going to answer some basic questions for me, okay?"

Jubilee began to nod, but the figure's pressure increased the instant she began to move, forcing her to freeze.

"Don't nod," the figure insisted quietly, "Speak, but don't nod, alright?"

"Okay," Jubilee agreed, forcefully stopping herself crying.

"Don't cry," the figure said, calmly. "Do what I say, and I won't hurt you. Now, what's your name?"

"Jubilee …" she stammered. "Jubilation Lee."

The figure smiled. "Tyler … no last name, just Tyler. Now, where are we?"

"The … the X-mansion. Please let me go …"

"Calm down, just a few more questions, okay? Now, the X-mansion? As in the X-men's HQ?"

"Yes … " Jubilee whimpered.

"Jubilee … Jubilee …" Tyler considered the name heavily for a second, before looking back at the terrified X-man. "Okay, last question, what year is it?"

"Two thousand … two thousand and eight," Jubilee whispered. "Please, don't hurt me…"

"Of course," Tyler whispered calmly, releasing her and stepping back. Jubilee collapsed back, against the wall, breathing heavily. For a second, Tyler let her calm down, before stepping back forward, and crouching down beside her.

"I'm sorry, Jubilee, I didn't want to hurt you," he told her calmly. "Let me see your neck.."

Jubilee flinched, drawing away from Tyler, who took hold of her hand reassuringly. She pulled her hand away sharply.

"Come on, now!" Tyler whispered. "I'm not going to hurt you, okay? I promise I won't hurt you."

Jubilee closed her eyes tight, a tear sliding down her face, shaking her head fiercely.

"Are you scared?" Tyler asked quietly.

Jubilee nodded silently. Tyler rest his hand caringly on her shoulder.

"So was I, when I woke up. I was terrified. But I wont hurt you. I need you to believe me when I say this. I promise I wont hurt you, Jubilation Lee."

Tyler looked up at the door, his attention drawn away for a second.

"Jubilee," he asked quietly. "You pressed the silent alarm on your belt, didn't you?"

The tearful Jubilee shook violently, nodding once slowly.

"I'm sorry…" she whimpered, flinching as Tyler moved forward slightly. He embraced her, gently.

"Its okay … " he whispered gently, almost lovingly. "Its okay … everything's going to be okay … "

The door burst open suddenly, and twelve x-men; Iceman, Gambit, Wolverine, Beast, Emma Frost, Scott, Colossus, Rouge, Sunfire, Nightcrawler, Storm and Shadowcat all burst in simultaneously. Tyler let go of Jubilee an instant before being dragged to his feet by Wolverine, who held him at claw-point for a long second.

"If you've hurt her, bub … " he growled, in warning, throwing Tyler back, against the med-bed he'd lain on. Across the room, the two figures stirred.

"What the hell's going on?" the male figure demanded. "WHERE'S MY GUITAR?"

"Stop shouting!" the female complained. "Hey, why am I in my underwear? Musika, you better not have … "

"Yeah, right!" the male figure snorted. "I'm sorry Arkana, you're just not my type of girl."

"Just keep your grungy hands to yourself, okay?"

"I will! Hey! What's going on?"

"That's Tyler! طنشخ !"

A strange, Ethereal light shone from Arkana's palm, and everyone froze. Everyone except Emma, and a bald old man, in a motorised wheelchair.

"Professor Charles Xavier!" Tyler whispered. "We did it!"

" An interesting ability, wouldn't you say Charles?" Emma asked, waving her hand in front of the paralysed Iceman. "So nice to see Robert and not hear him."

"Yes, I concur, it is indeed, most interesting. However, I would be much obliged if you released your hold over my X-men, young lady. I assure you that you are in no danger."

Arkana glanced over at Tyler, who nodded.

"If you insist," she muttered, clenching her fist. The light faded, and everybody slumped as they regained control of their limbs.

"I'm gonna slice you up!" Wolverine growled, advancing on Tyler.

"Easy, Logan!" Charles said, sternly. "Calm yourself!"

"Easy for you to say, Charlie!" Logan growled. "But he threatened the kid … "

"Logan, I ask you to calm down. It is evident that, threat or not, he caused no lasting physical harm to Jubilee, although it is clear he had more than ample opportunity. Therefore it seems logical that they didn't arrive on our front lawn with the intentions of picking a fight. Let us hear what they have to say, before we make decisions."

"Alright, you want to hear us out?" Tyler asked, stepping forward. "Great! But can we first have some _clothes_?"


	3. The persistence of memory

3.

"So let me get this straight," Wolverine growled, pacing the war room. Having realised that, in fact, a single med bay was far to small for sixteen people, they had relocated, and the clothes and equipment of the three figures; Tyler, Arkana and Musika had all been returned. "You want us to believe that you are all from … the future … come back in time to stop the world from going to pot through the will of a crazy super – ancient demon named Anarchy? And that you need our help?"

Tyler nodded, black tinted sunglasses hiding his blank, white, blind eyes. Wolverine shrugged.

"Sounds like some weekends I've been through," he said gruffly, turning to Xavier. "But that don't mean its true!"

"No, I agree with Logan. Your story is plausible enough, but that does not make it perfectly believable."

"We could always scan their minds," Emma chimed in, leaning on the back of Xavier's wheelchair. "That way we'd be certain either way."

"Emma, no, you know our policy on mind scans. To enter another's mind without consent … "

"Oh Charles, you're such a bore!" Emma complained. "They won't feel a thing, I promise…"

Before Charles could stop her, she had stretched out with her mind, probing Tyler's consciousness. Tyler's jaw tightened, his eyes flashing behind his glasses. Then Emma reeled, as if struck by a physical blow of considerable force.

"Stay … out of … my …mind!" Tyler hissed venomously. "Just stay out! Got it?"

Charles let out a heavy sigh. "I feel inclined to apologise for my colleague's actions. However you must realise that there is precious little evidence to support your very intricate allegations. As such scepticism is to be expected."

Tyler nodded. "I appreciate the X-men's need for caution, professor, but my mind is my own, possibly the last sanctuary I have. I'm not going to let people just waltz in."

"I however, have no secrets left to hide," Musika chipped in, stepping forward. "If you wish to probe my mind for answers, by all means, go ahead."

"What are you doing John?" Tyler hissed quietly. "You don't have to … "

"I don't see why I shouldn't," Musika replied dismissively. "Its not like I know anything important or secret."

"So you would consent to a basic surface probe of your mind?" Charles asked, looking up at Musika. "I must warn you, I have been told it can be rather painful."

"I've endured worse," Musika said casually. "Go right ahead."

Charles nodded, reaching out with his mind slowly. Telepathically, he brushed against Musika's mental barriers, which slid apart, granting him entry. He did so cautiously.

He was on a dark plateau, high above the clouds, bathed in the unholy light of a black sun. at the other end of the plateau, a mental representation of Musika stood, strumming slowly on his black guitar. Xavier approached, and Musika turned, stopping playing, a wild grin on his face.

_What do you think?_ He asked. _Should we go for the narrative, or just take the tour?_

"Jonathan, I have no wish to desecrate another's mind for any longer than absolutely necessary. Please, just tell me what's going on."

_The tour it is then! _Musika shrugged. _This way!_

Musika turned and ran to the edge of the plateau, Xavier in close pursuit revelling, as he always did, in the wonderful sensation of running he experienced as an astral projection. The edge raced to meet them.

Musika dove off the plateau's edge. Xavier stopped and hesitated, looking down into the abyss.

_Got to go down if you want to know more!_ Musika laughed. _Come on Xavier, take the plunge!_

Xavier paused a beat, considering the dangers Musika's mind might hide. But before he could act himself, the plateau bucked violently, throwing him off the edge. He plummeted like a brick, the wind rushing up past him as he broke the cloud barrier. Then, as the ground rushed up to meet him, he began to decelerate. He touched down gently, feet first, with less impact than had he merely stumbled.

_Welcome! _Musika smiled grimly. _To my memories. You might consider bracing yourself. _

Xavier stood on a poisoned, barren ground, amid crumbling decrepit buildings. Diseased earth blew past their knees as they stood. Silence reigned supreme, the sounds of the crumbling buildings deafening through the nothingness. No light shone through the unholy twilight.

"Jonathan, where are we?"

_New York City, USA. Now Shhh, and watch …_

An ear – splitting explosion rocked the dead city, as screams rose up and drowned out the silence. The figures poured down the streets like ants, passing straight through Xavier and Musika like they weren't there. Chasing them, sentinel-like machines pounded them with grenades and lasers. Yet, as the people thronged and charged headlong in their survival – driven stampede, another figure, features shrouded under a thick hood, pushed his way towards the marauding machines. He staggered forward, being buffeted by people and explosions as he marched. As the last survivors passed him, he stopped, drawing a guitar out from where he had hidden it under his cloak. The robots crowded round, raising their weapons.

"MUTANT HOSTILITY DETECTED!!" the machines chimed in robotic chorus. "INITIATE SUMMARY TERMINATION 69616."

Musika ran his hand across the strings of his guitar. The note that played was one of astounding beauty, such that Xavier was captivated. The machines however, possessed no emotions, and were unfazed by the spellbinding sound. a heavy clicking sound resounded as they each loaded grenades to their arm – mounted launchers in mechanical unison.

Musika strummed another note, a heavy, powerful note that sent out a visible sonic wave. The grenades exploded in the robots arms, blowing chunks out of their heavy plate armour, dissipating their energy shielding. Musika began to play, fingers flashing as he played, sonic waves rippling out, tearing through the machines. The scene was captivating. Not only could Xavier hear the guitar, but as Musika played, the sounds of a full band emanated from his guitar.

"ERROR!! SYSTEM MALFUNCTION 657 … ERRO … ERR … ER …!!"

"Rocked you like a hurricane, baby!" Musika laughed manically, as the machines exploded.

_Do I really sound like that? _Musika asked incredulously, staring at the memory Musika. _I thought my voice was deeper, surely._

"That was a very heroic deed you did Jonathan," Xavier commented, watching as the memory stopped playing his guitar.

_The memory isn't finished._

The shadows began to move, collecting and expanding. A high pitched laugh, as manic and crazed as Musika's had been descended around them. The dust was pitched up again, thrown in their faces.

From the shadows emerged a figure, tall and as black as the night itself, rising up to tower over Musika. Its red eyes shone with rage, its fanged teeth caught in a crazed grimace. From its sides spouted six, clawed arms, which swung randomly, as if of a separate will to their master.

_Behold! Anarchy incarnate._

"You!" the memory Musika cried out. "You took your own sweet time!"

"_**Me!" **_Anarchy laughed. "_**We meet again, little worm! Only this time, I wont take your … Vandalism so lightly!"**_

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" Musika shot back, throwing his guitar aside. "You win!"

Anarchy hesitated.

"Didn't you hear me?" Musika screamed. "You win! YOU FUCKING WIN!! KILL ME ALREADY!! YOU WIN!!" __

"_**Oh, you're no fun!" **_Anarchy complained, picking up Musika's discarded guitar, and offering it to him. "_**C'mon, fight me! You know you want to!"**_

"To fight for the sake of fighting, is pointless" Musika stated bluntly, taking the guitar from Anarchy, and slinging it across his back. "Just as living for the sake of fighting is also meaningless. Why should I live, when I have no meaning to my life? WHY?"

"_**Oh, fine! You want to die so bad? Here, die already!"**_

Anarchy swung out with one of its clawed hands the hand swung down in terrible slow motion, as Musika braced himself for the final, disembowelling strike.

A knife flew out from the shadows of a crushed building, burying itself in the claw of Anarchy, who backed away, screaming. From out of the shadows stepped the lean, aggressive form of a figure in his late teens, clad in black robes with blood red rims.

Tyler…

His blue eyes, a deep, sapphire blue, shone spectacularly in the twilight.

"Run!" he commanded to the memory Musika, leaping up between him and Anarchy. A tendril of shadow crept out, snaking around Tyler's exposed ankle, grabbing him and yanking him up.

"Hey, what the!" he cried in surprise. "Damn it, Run! Run already!" 

Musika took off, never looking back.

"_**You and I Tyler," **_Anarchy hissed. _**"We need to talk!"**_

"Fuck you!" Tyler hissed back, spitting in Anarchy's face.

Xavier stood, amazed as Tyler and Anarchy vanished, melting back into the shadows. Beside him, Musika's silent form was quivering.

"Jonathan, are you okay?"

Musika nodded, wiping tears from his eyes. _Now do you see …professor? See why Tyler hides his mind? Do you see what he must have been through? Anarchy blinded him after that. Anarchy blinded him …… because of me! _Musika broke down into tears, leaning heavily on a ruined skyscraper.

Memories were flashing past them both now at lightning speed. Pain, acceptance, neglect, hatred, fear, death, hope, love. Then they slowed into one. They were in the petrified remains of central park, taking refuge under a moss-choked bridge. Musika was alone. His whole body quivering as he ran the blade of his knife deep into his arm, blood spilling to the ground. He was crying, whimpering as the blade bit down.

A figure dropped down beside him, a tall male, feline figure, with orange and black striped skin, a long, flowing tail and pointy, cat like ears. His yellow eyes shone bight in the darkness.

"Musika? What are you doing?" the figure cried in alarm, knocking the knife out of Musika's bloody hands. "John! What's wrong with you?"

The memory Musika collapsed forward, the figure catching him, holding him tight.

"I can't do this Cougar!" Musika cried. "I'm not like you, or the others! I can't go on, I'm not strong enough! I'm sorry!"

Musika reached back for the knife., but Cougar caught hold of his bleeding arm, stopping him, Musika's crimson life force matting his fine orange fur.

"Musika …" Cougar began, quietly. "John, please, don't do this. We need you, _I_ need you!"

"No … no you don't. You, Tyler, Flare, your all so strong, so _perfect_. I'm not. I'm so … so _weak_, so feeble. And I look up at you, and it hurts, it hurts so bad. The pain, it's unbearable!"

"Jonathan," Xavier said kindly, turning to the real Musika, who was still slumped, crying on the floor. "We can go. You don't have to show me this, not if you don't want to."

_I … I had forgotten … _

"Goddamn it John, you're not weak!" Cougar was saying. "John, I can't stand seeing you do this to yourself! John I need you! **I love you!"**

The memory Musika looked up at Cougar, tears streaming down his face. "Don't do this," he pleaded. "Don't weaken yourself … not for me. Please…"

Cougar leant forward, cutting Musika's protests off with a passionate kiss.

"Don't you get it, kitten?" Cougar asked, as they slowly drew apart. "I can't let you go, I love you!"

They leant forward and kissed again lovingly, Cougar's hands running up and down Musika's quivering form, Musika's hands cautiously doing the same.

"I love you, kitten!"

_Get out! _ The real Musika hissed a sudden violence in his voice. _GET OUT OF MY HEAD!! __GET OUT!!!_

Xavier felt like he had been shoved violently, thrown backwards out of Musika's memories, flung back to his own mind. He fell back to reality sharply, slipping off his wheelchair with a thud.

"Professor!" the newly-arrived Cyclops exclaimed, rushing over and helping Xavier back into his chair.

"John!" Tyler cried out in alarm, as Musika fell, quivering to the floor, a single silver tear running down his face. "John, what happened?" Musika just shook his head wildly, his mouth held tightly closed.

The professor had re-composed himself, moving his chair over to Tyler, resting a hand gently on his shoulder.

"Professor, they are friends, _Da_?" asked a confused Colossus

Xavier nodded. "They were telling the truth," he announced gravely. "It seems that the world really is in as much danger as they claim."

"Sod the danger!" Tyler snapped, helping Musika onto one of the beds. "What the hell did you do to Musika?"

"I did nothing," Xavier replied calmly. "It was not my intent to harm him in any way. Delving into memories can be a dangerous thing, emotionally, but I don't believe he's sustained any physical harm. As for the emotional shock, I'm sorry, that wasn't my intent either."

"Professor, what are we going to do now?" Nightcrawler asked.

"We prepare," Tyler interjected, before Xavier could answer. "We plan, and prepare. And then, then we wait…"

"Wait for what?" Cyclops demanded.

"We wait," Tyler announced, dramatically. "For the beginning … of the end."


	4. We all have our secrets

4.

It was midnight, and the mansion was silent, bar Bobby Drake's occasional, overdramatic ( yet, scarily, real ) snoring.

Down in the sub-basement, Tyler sat at Musika's bedside. Tenderly, he ran the back of his hand across John's feverish brow. Not long after the others had left, John had slipped into this semi-comatose state. Now he wouldn't wake up, his eyes wandering sightlessly behind his closed lids. Tyler watched him sadly. Then he did something that shocked even himself. He leant forward, and kissed his friend, tenderly.

"Its okay, John," he whispered, watching with relief as Musika's flailing body calmed. "I'm right her with you buddy. I'm right here by your side. C'mon, John, wake up, please!"

John settled down, his whole body relaxing. Tyler took hold of Musika's hand, and held it tight.

"I'm right here, Musika. I'm not going to leave you, I swear!"

"He looks so cute when he's sleeping." Arkana said suddenly. Tyler, who hadn't sensed her enter, jumped, looking sharply around at her. "It's okay, Tyler, you can be honest with me, I wont tell anyone, I promise."

Tyler relaxed slightly. "Yeah, your right. Its hard to imagine that he's the famous 'Guitar Hero'. He looks so gentle, so helpless, like a little kitten."

"Are you going to tell him?" Arkana asked, seriously, sitting down beside Tyler. Tyler shook his head.

"I … I can't!" he whispered. "Arkana, I just can't!"

"What if I told him? I could be subtle … "

"No!" Tyler said, forcefully. "No … he's already lost Cougar. If he were to lose another … I couldn't put him through it Arkana. Even if it tears me apart, I couldn't make him suffer like that!"

"I understand, Tyler." Arkana nodded, laying her arm around Tyler's shoulders. "It's okay … "

"Three days ago, it all seemed so easy …"

"I know … I know … …"

***** ***** *****

The next day, Musika woke slowly, a cold sweat drenching his body from the nightmarish memories he'd fought against. He clenched his fists, angrily. Something squeezed back in his left hand, another hand, soft and warm. He opened his eyes, looking up at his blind eyed leader.

"Tyler ..?" he whispered, surprised at the hoarseness of his voice. "What are you ..? "

"Checking your pulse," Tyler said briskly, pulling his hand away.

"Oh, oh yeah, right," Musika nodded and smiled, although there was a definite sadness in his voice. "Have you been here all night?"

Tyler nodded. "All night long," he replied, smiling. "I was worried about you."

"You … worried, about … me?"

"Hey we're family, right? You, me, Arkana. That's what family does. Besides, if we're going to save the world, I want I guy I can put my faith in on my right hand side."

Musika looked away. "You've got Arkana," he said dismissively. "You don't need me … "

"Of course I do!" Tyler shot back, his smile fading. " John, if we're going to do this, we need to work together. Without you …" Tyler trailed off pathetically. "We do need you John."

Musika perked up slightly, looking back over at Tyler. "Really?"

Tyler's smiled again. "You'd better believe it! Now c'mon sleeping beauty, naptime's over."

***** ***** *****

The hot water cascading down on Tyler's body felt fantastic. To be able to wash with clean heated water was a luxury that wasn't available in Anarchy's future. As he stood there in cubicle, he thought back, trying to pinpoint the last time he had actually had a wash. Seven years? Eight? Certainly before he'd lost his sight. Tyler shuddered at the memories, memories of high pitched, manic laughter. The screams of the tortured. He'd made Tyler watch, before burning out his sight. Now those last moments of sight lay, forever burnt to his memories. In the cubicle alongside his own, Musika had begun to sing. Tyler smiled, he'd never before taken the time to fully appreciate the beautiful singing voice Musika had. He'd never had the time, they had always been too busy running for their lives.

A dull throbbing sensation passed up from his crotch. He tightened his jaw angrily, throwing a punch at the mosaic tile wall, one that he instantly regretted, as a flash of pain shot up his arm.

_Control yourself, Tyler! _He thought, angrily. _Goddamn it! You know you can't, you can never …_

It wasn't working, emotion had Tyler and he knew it. His throbbing member was proof of this. Switching off the shower, he leant out and grasped his towel off the waiting hook, wrapping it round his waist before stepping out of the cubicle. Musika's shower stopped, and Musika stepped out, dripping wet and naked.

_God he's beautiful! _Tyler found himself thinking. _What? No … Snap out of it!_

Musika laughed. _An angelic laugh. Stop it Tyler!_

"I didn't realise your skin was so pale!" Musika smiled, looking Tyler up and down as he grabbed his own towel. "Under a half inch of dust and spore you kinda go a tan colour!"

Tyler laughed. _Keep your eyes on his face, his face! Ignore the urges, ignore them! _

"Really?" he asked, grabbing his dusty clothes from where they lay in a dusty heap.

"Yeah, you look a lot more … approachable now."

"Approachable?" Tyler asked, pulling on his underwear quickly, hoping that Musika wouldn't notice his rock hard manhood.

"Well … … okay, I meant to say cute … "

Tyler dropped his jacket, his face flushing a bright red.

"C … cute?" Tyler stammered.

"Well, yeah," Musika said, moving over to Tyler. "Before you were all gruff and coarse, and that was attractive, but now … " he ran his hand down Tyler's chest. "You're all soft and well, human. And that's hot!"

"Musika I … I can't do this. What about you and Cougar?"

Musika lifted his hand away. "Cougar loved me," he said, quietly. "But I never loved him. Never truly. How could I, my heart belonged to you Tyler, I was just too scared to admit it."

"And that's why you continued to self-harm?"

Musika nodded sadly. "It hurt, so much. Just seeing you walk on by was agonising! And I hated myself, for every second that passed and I didn't help tell you. I needed an escape, a way out. I wanted to die, Tyler!"

"But still, you're here … "

"I couldn't do it! I chickened out!" Musika cried. "I'm nothing but a coward!"

"You are not a coward!" Tyler shot back. "To take the easy way out, to go through with your suicide, THAT would be cowardly. Instead, you kept on fighting, even though your powers put you at a constant disadvantage."

"Only because … because I … "

"Musika, you are the most heroic person I know … "

"That's really sweet of you. Its just a shame its not true."

"Of course its true, John!" Tyler argued. "I envy you John!"

"What's there to envy? Especially from you Tyler. You're, like the god of Kung Fu, and then there's your seismic abilities … "

" … My blindness and my inability to love," Tyler finished, pulling on his trousers, the cold, dusty leather felt harsh and uncomfortable against his skin. "You can see, and you can love. You're young, sweet, but naïve. And, truth be told, I envy you for it. I could think of nothing happier than spending eternity with you John, but I don't have an eternity to give."

"Does anyone?" Musika asked, slipping his hand into Tyler's. "Thing is, I don't want an eternity. Just you, and all the time you can spare."

"And I can't, John!" Tyler replied, forcefully. "I can't fall now, not when I'm so close, we're so close to finally being free. John I'm sorry, but I don't want you to suffer."

Tyler left before Musika could argue any more, pulling on his jacket and glasses as he strode down the corridor. If he'd been able, Tyler could have cried. But he didn't, he knew he had too much to gain, and so much more to lose. He had to be strong. For everyone's sakes. There were no more second chances.

"Not this time!" he vowed quietly, as he got in the elevator for the sub-basement. "This time, he will fall. Anarchy, I swear, you're going to die. And I'm going to be the executioner. On my life, I will end you!"

***** ***** *****

Tyler spent the whole remainder of the day in the war room, calling up hero teams, strumming up favours, performing scans, and god knows what else. He'd sealed the doors when he'd entered, and he'd let no one in. even Beast had been met with hostility as he tried to override the lockdown protocol, _his_ lockdown protocol.

"Fascinating!" he murmured to himself, massaging his singed hand, as the keypad released a static discharge that blackened his fur. "Seems like some kind of … "

"Kinetic relay capacitor," Tyler finished, the doors sliding open. "It is."

Tyler walked back into the blackened war room, running his hand along the mission computer, to which he had connected what appeared to be a silver wristwatch. Beast gawped.

"Fascinating!" he murmured again, lost for words.

On the central holographic projector, which usually displayed the missions relative position on a 3D globe, now stood a tall, female hologram of great beauty. Her pink form was surrounded by millions of data readouts and web pages, which she scanned through quickly, before moving on. As Beast stepped into the room, the hologram looked up, and smiled pleasantly.

"Hi!" she said, quickly, before returning to her work.

Tyler sighed, smirking slightly. "I apologise, Hank, she's never been much of a talker. This is Sally, my A.I. Sally, this is Dr Hank McCoy."

Sally actually stopped working for a second this time, looking Beast up and down. "Hi!" she said again, before giving an impish smile. "He says A.I, perhaps he should try O.I?"

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "I'd watch it, young lady!" he said, his voice stern, but a wide smile on his face. "Remember who can re-program who."

"O.I?" Beast asked, momentarily baffled. "O.I? Oh, yes, of course, O.I; Only Intelligence, yes very witty." He laughed heartily. "Yes, very witty indeed. And most intelligent."

"A.I." Tyler repeated. "Only not artificial, no she's actual. She gets upset if you say otherwise."

"As would you in my position," Sally said seriously, pulling out a pair of holographic reading glasses as she returned to the data feeds. "Being called a fake by creatures of **half** your intellect, _if_ that! Its just insulting!"

"Okay Sally, we get it!" Tyler replied, "Don't you have work to be doing?"

"Why do you think you made me a woman?" Sally asked tartly, not looking up. "I can multitask, you can't," she let out an angry sigh. "_Men_!"

Tyler nodded and turned back to Beast. "I can't read, obviously. So Sally acts as my eyes … "

" … And his common sense … "

" … Thank you Sally. But yeah, without her here we'd be pretty stumped."

"Really, how so?" Beast asked, the scientist in him not willing to take offence at what was almost certainly meant to be an insult. _Yet._

"Hank, what do you understand about Order and Chaos?"

"Well, as an empirically minded scientist, I'd have to reply that they are concepts, human concepts used to describe phenomena that would prove itself otherwise unreasonable."

Tyler smiled. "You're wrong," he said, conspiratorially. "In that you used them in reference to humanity … "

"I'm afraid you've lost me there my friend. Would you care to expand?"

Tyler turned to Sally, running his hands across the solid light data feeds. "I mean order and chaos are completely separate from humanity, in any sense. They happen. The only human thing about them is how the human paranoia links them to itself in a semi egotistical sense." Tyler turned back to Beast. "Generally the effects of order and chaos are so slight, they balance each other out; one lady over bakes a cake in Australia, whilst a British driver narrowly misses a car accident, that sort of thing. What we're looking for, is something big. A big disaster, or a major miracle, something to symbolise the coming o the island…"

"What island?"

"New Heart Island, the home and prison of two ancient super-beings, one made of order, the other raw chaos. They are the keys that keep Anarchy in his inter – dimensional cell, somewhere in the void. When the Island appears, the game begins. And if we're fast, we'll get the first turn."

"And?" asked Beast, hopefully.

"Nothing!" Sally spat. "And it isn't half irritating."

"Well, I can see that you're both very busy," Beast said sheepishly, trying not to gape at the A.I. as she worked away. "So I'll leave you to it!" Beast turned to leave, then stopped. "Oh, yes. I've just come off the line from Nick Fury, he was asking for a security clearance?"

Tyler nodded. "If you could do me a big favour, tell him it's under the authority of 'Silver's Rose'. That should get his attention."

"I fail to see how so, it seems a little nonsensical to me … "

"It's a SHIELD security clearance code," Tyler said, with a triumphant smile. "For Triple – Umbra clearance. My _personal_ clearance."


	5. for those we've lost and those we gain

**A character of my friends makes a brief appearance, i don't own him, K? I have permission, got it? cool, well now that's settled ... on with the story! **

5.

Tyler paced backwards and forwards across the empty war room, straightening his thoughts.

_This isn't right! _He told himself fiercely. _Its different! So very different! WHY? What's going on?_

"Sal, what's the time?" he asked the industrious hologram.

"20:42" Sally replied, still working.

_We've been at it all day! There should be something, at least!_

"Take a break, Sal."

Sally looked up sharply. "What? What if we've missed something? What if they've already happened, and these, these _**dim-witted apes**_ haven't realised the significance? What then?"

"Sally," Tyler asked patiently. "How many times have you scanned the internet?"

"300 000. So?"

"And each time, did you scan the whole internet?"

"Of course!" Sally replied indignantly, "What are you trying to suggest?"

"If you scanned the whole internet, all those three hundred thousand times, do you think its likely that we've missed something?"

"Well, no, but … "

"Give it a rest, Sally. If we haven't come across anything already, it hasn't happened. Lets go."

"Go? Go where?"

"Upstairs of course, we need to update John and Juliet."

***** ***** *****

Tyler found Musika and Arkana up on the first floor of the mansion, in their own respective rooms. They'd both been out during the day, and piles of new clothes suggested they'd been out shopping. Musika was already asleep when Tyler entered. Tyler smiled and backed out of the room, slowly closing the door behind him.

_He really __**does**__ look cute while he sleeps…_

Arkana, thankfully, was still awake when Tyler knocked.

"Who is it?"

Tyler opened the door. "Its Tyler, you awake?"

"Would I be asking who's there if I was asleep?" Arkana asked, sitting up.

Tyler smiled. "No, no I guess not," he admitted, entering the room fully. "So," he asked, gesturing to the strewn shopping bags "Where'd you go?"

"Just around Manhattan," Arkana said. "Magma took us."

"Who?"

"Magma," Arkana repeated calmly. "Really, sweet girl. Nice body…"

Tyler raised his eyebrow questioningly. Arkana shrugged.

"One of us has to have some interest in women," she said plainly before adding, a slight sadness in her voice. "Besides, what else am I to do? I've yet to meet a guy who'd be willing to make the commitment … "

"Was that supposed to be a personal comment?"

"No … just friendly chatter."

"Okay, and what about John, is he okay?"

"Musika?" Arkana asked. "He was a little distant, but sure, he was fine. Didn't seem like anything was wrong with him, why?"

"No reason," Tyler replied calmly, his right hand running down the flat of the blade of Musika's knife. He'd taken it whilst they were in the showers. Even knowing how Musika's blade was a tool of self-mutilation, the theft seemed wrong somehow.

_It's for his own good, and you know that!_ He told himself harshly. _No attachments this time, be ready to leave everything behind, that was the plan, now stick to it Tyler, stick to it!_

"Find anything?" Arkana asked, expectantly.

Tyler shook his head. "Absolutely nothing. Its driving Sally crazy."

"You bet it is!" Sally snapped irritably, her voice emanating from Tyler's watch.

"Someone's crabby," Arkana commented, smiling. "I think its past her bed-time…"

"Hey! I do **not** have a _bed time_!" Sally snapped, disgusted.

"You do now, young lady!" Tyler replied, flicking a switch on the watch. "I'll wake you up when your batteries have recharged some," he said as Sally powered down. "Perhaps then you'll be in a better mood."

He looked up at Arkana apologetically. "Sorry about that. She's had a tough day, and she really is committed to helping. Its just, unless she actually physically finds something, she seems to think she's not being of use."

"Perhaps you should re-programme her emotion loop?" Arkana suggested. Tyler shook his head.

"I couldn't do that," he said quietly. "That'd change who she was, she wouldn't be Sally anymore."

Arkana shrugged.

"Anyways," Tyler continued. "I'd better be off. I think I'd better go for a walk for a while…"

"Not to bed?" asked Arkana, confused. "I'd have thought you'd be shattered."

"I am, I just don't sleep…"

"Oh C'mon, everyone sleeps…"

"Not me," Tyler sighed. "Anyways, night!"

Tyler turned to leave, when Arkana stopped him again.

"Forgot to tell you, Bobby's having a pool party tomorrow. We're all invited. Are you coming?"

Tyler shook his head.

"Oh, c'mon Ty'," Arkana complained. "You're no fun. You've been working non stop for the past, what, seven years? Take a break. Relax. Please?"

"And what if I do go?" Tyler asked. "What the what the hell am I supposed to wear? This?" he gestured down at the same dusty attire he'd been wearing for the last five years.

"No!" snapped Arkana. "Do you really think we'd go out, and forget to get something for you? Musika went and bought you some new clothes. They're in your room. C'mon, do it for us…"

Tyler looked over his shoulder out into the corridor, his thoughts turned to Musika. Musika had made the effort to get him something to wear.

"Okay, okay, fine," he said eventually. "This once. But its only this one time, got it? We're on a mission here, not a holiday!"

"Yeah, whatever!" Arkana muttered. "What's life without a little fun?"

"Okay, okay, I'll go, I'll go alright? See you tomorrow."

Tyler left quietly. There were a few minutes silence, then the door opened again.

"Arkana?" Tyler asked.

"Yes, Tyler?"

"Which room's my room?"

"You and Musika are sharing … "

***** ***** *****

The clothes Musika had bought Tyler weren't that bad. The sleeves were a little short, and some of the jeans were a little tight, but Musika had bought a set of the next size up as well, a little baggy, but comfortable.

Tyler changed quietly into a pair of Hawaiian-style shorts, the label having ripped into it the words 'Blue and red'.

"Thanks pal." Tyler whispered, kissing Musika on the forehead. He straightened up, turning to the open doorway. The corridor was dark and quiet.

There was a tapping on the window pane. Tyler looked over at it questioningly. A tree branch tapped against the window, caught in the night wind. Tyler walked over, opening the window quietly. Musika stirred as the cold night air washed over him, but thankfully he didn't wake. Tyler climbed out onto the tree branch, closing the window behind him. He walked steadily to where the branch attached to the trunk. He turned, leaning against the trunk, his foot resting on the branch, his seismic 'sight' reaching out, covering the mansion, focussing on Musika. Absent mindedly, he flicked the switch back on, and there was a quiet hum as Sally re-booted.

There was a flapping of wings, and a strange, humanoid creature landed in the tree alongside Tyler. It was dressed in a smart suit, with tie and smart shoes. His hair was combed and neat, yet his eyes were wild, his teeth fanged and his hands clawed. His tall figure was framed by his colossal, bat-like wings.

"Good evening," the figure said, calmly, his accent clipped and British.

"Who the hell are you and, more importantly, what the fuck do you want?" Tyler snapped viciously.

"My, my, you aren't half hostile," The figure replied, aghast. "I merely dropped by for a civil conversation with what seemed to be a reasonable individual. However, if it humours you, my code name is Nightmare. I assume you are the 'Tyler' I've heard about?"

"What's it to you?" Tyler snapped defensively.

"As I said before, I was merely seeking a civil conversation, with an intelligent being."

"What's going on?" Sally asked sleepily. Her holographic form emanated from the face of the watch, turning around a few times to orientate herself. Then her eyes locked on Nightmare.

"Who's he?" she asked inquisitively. "And why are we in a tree?"

"My name is Nightmare," the figure said, re-introducing himself. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance miss ..? "

Sally smiled. "Sally," she said. "Sorry, no last name."

"Not at all," Nightmare smiled. " I must say though, your acquaintance here is somewhat … defensive."

"Oh, he's like that, he gets nervous around new species."

Nightmare smiled. "You're a very perceptive and, if I may say so, beautiful creation, miss Sally. Tell me, what was the first clue? Could I not be just another mutant?"

"I doubt it," Sally answered honestly, smiling slightly an the compliment. "Your physical appearance is so drastically different that I honestly doubt it to be a physical mutation, although it is possible. No, the most distinctive difference is the pheromones you emit. Even the most deformed mutants still emit the same basic human pheromones. You, on the other hand, are releasing pheromones of a completely new species."

"Well, I commend your fine powers induction. Yes I am of a species oft referred to as the Were-Pyre. I'm a bit of an amalgamation of DNA really. But it does have its advantages, even if the physical metamorphosis is a little … drastic."

"I don't have any information on a …" Sally began, confused, drawing up her databanks, but Tyler cut in.

"I appreciate the desire to converse with an intelligent being," he snapped harshly at Nightmare. "Believe me I do, but right now we're busy. Sally, bring up the team sheets, lets get this over with, before tomorrow's party."

Sally gave an apologetic shrug to Nightmare, and drew up a separate file.

"Robert – James Lee, Flare?" she asked, pulling out her reading glasses.

"Deceased, K.I.A," Tyler intoned calmly. "Next?"

"Leonardo Ronald Wattson, Cougar?"

"Deceased, K.I.A. next?"

"Jonathan Francis Musika, Musika?"

"Live, on active duty."

Tyler looked up from Sally. Nightmare was still there, perched on the branch, watching Tyler.

"I said, we're busy," Tyler said sharply. "Now would be a good time for you to leave."

"I've yet to say my piece," Nightmare replied plainly. "I came to converse with you, not your AI, delightful company though she is."

"Well, say 'your piece', then get lost!"

Nightmare leant forward, assuming a confidential air. He was so close Tyler could smell the processed, chemical mint smell of toothpaste, and the slowly rotting strands of meat stuck in Nightmare's fangs that it masked.

"I know what you are, Tyler," Nightmare announced calmly. "I'm the hunter above hunters against you. Now, I don't know how or why you're here, but believe me, if you do anything that is a danger to the civilians here in this establishment, I will **rip you apart** in a heartbeat, no remorse. The only reason I'm telling you this is that you don't seem like the others. There's something about you that's different. But that doesn't mean i trust you, I'll be watching you, so very, very carefully."

Nightmare flapped his wings twice and took off with quick, powerful strokes, disappearing out of Tyler's perceptive range and into the night within seconds.

"What was that about?" Sally asked, looking up at the darkened sky. "And what's a Were-pyre? I thought I had a file on all known species … "

"You do," Tyler replied calmly. "But its short, so I filed it under the Lycan genus, for simplicity. Now, lets get back to the list shall we?"

Sally sighed. "Justin Scott Summers, Overload?"

"Deceased, K.I.A."

"Alan Drake, Accelerate?"

"Deceased, K.I.A."

***** ***** *****

By mid-day, the party was in full swing. It was a beautiful summers day and, Musika was playing his guitar from an improvised stage of sun-loungers, dressed in a fresh leather jacket, leather pants, but without a shirt, exposing his toned, muscular chest. Students thronged around him as he played with unbelievable stamina. In the pool itself, Peter and Kitty were playing about in the deep end, the only end deep enough for the mountainous Colossus, Rouge was sat by the poolside, her feet in the water of the shallow end, and Logan, who seemed oblivious to all the activity and excitement around him, was doing laps, claws out.

Arkana lingered by the very edge of the pool area, sat on a spare deck chair as casually as she could manage. She was dressed in a black one piece that persisted in sitting uncomfortably tight against her skin, especially in comparison to her old, baggy uniform.

There was a splash and a wave like ripple as Kitty snuck underneath her titanic boyfriend and dragged him down under the water suddenly. They emerged a few seconds later, laughing. And there in each other's arms, they kissed lovingly.

Arkana looked away, looking out over the grounds. Tyler was currently sat, mid way up a tree about half way down the back lawn in a pair of Hawaiian style swimming shorts. From what Arkana could tell, he was talking to Sally. She sighed heavily.

"Does he ever take time off work?" she wondered aloud.

"Hey there!"

Arkana looked up sharply. Standing over her was the tall figure of Bobby Drake, the 'Iceman', dripping wet from having just been thrown into the pool. He sat down on the deck-chair next to her, smiling.

"Enjoying the party?" he asked enthusiastically.

Arkana looked round at the pool, at Musika, then back at Tyler.

"Yeah, yeah its great!" she lied.

Bobby wasn't convinced. "You gonna come and join in?" he asked. "No one's gonna hurt you, honest."

Arkana smiled at Bobby's attempted joke.

"So, how about it? Join us in the pool?"

Arkana's smile broadened. "Not on your life!"

"Why not? The water's great! C'mon … "

" … No."

"Aw, come on. Why not?"

Arkana leant back, looking up at the clear blue sky. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you … "

Bobby smiled. "Try me."

So Arkana told him.

"I don't believe it," Bobby said, smirking. "You actually can't …?"

"Nope," Arkana replied calmly. "Never had the time to learn."

Bobby mulled it over for a while.

"I guess it's not something you learn without practice," he consented eventually. Then he let out a short laugh.

"What's so funny?" Arkana demanded.

"No, its nothing! I just … well here I am, talking to you like were old friends. I haven't even introduced myself yet. Hi, I'm Bobby, and you … you're Arkana, right?"

"That's me. Its Juliet, actually although, I rarely ever tell anyone. Not even Musika."

"Why? It's a beautiful name."

Arkana smiled. "You think so?"

"Well, yeah! Yeah I do."

Arkana blushed slightly. "Gee … thanks Bobby!"

"Hey, I just call 'em as I see 'em!"

Musika struck another note on his guitar, as he begun to play another song. Bobby looked over at the poolside crowd.

"So you don't ..?"

"No."

"But you can dance right?"

"Of course!" Arkana laughed. "Who can't?"

"Then, that being the case … " Bobby scrambled to his feet, throwing on a voice and air of grandeur. "Juliet, may I have this dance?"

Arkana took his outstretched hand in her own, and let him pull her gently to her feet.

"Well … since you asked so nicely … why not?"


End file.
